12-Year-Old Math Prodigy To Graduate College Valedictorian

Phung-Hieu Diep graduated Evergreen Valley College in San Jose on Friday, May 22, as one of the school’s valedictorians with an associate degree in mathematics. ABC7 and other outlets reported that Diep is 12 and finished with a 4.0 GPA after beginning full-time community college work at age 10. Evergreen Valley College listed its 2026 commencement for May 22 at 6 p.m. at the school’s soccer stadium. The California student’s story drew attention because the milestone came years earlier than a typical college graduation. In interviews carried by ABC7 and republished by other outlets, Diep said college had been “an amazing experience.” People, citing ABC7, reported that he plans to continue studying after this degree. (actionnewsnow.com) ### How young was he when he started college work? ABC7 reported that Diep’s path accelerated in third grade, when he was ready for pre-algebra instead of standard elementary-school math. People, citing ABC7, said he enrolled in a pre-calculus class at Berkeley City College before leaving middle school at 10 to study full time at the community-college level. (actionnewsnow.com) People also reported, again citing ABC7, that Diep took classes at six community colleges to assemble a full-time schedule because of his age. That detail helps explain how he moved through college-level coursework quickly while still working within enrollment constraints for a child student. ### What exactly did he earn at Evergreen Valley College? (actionnewsnow.com) Evergreen Valley College scheduled its 2026 commencement for May 22 and published a commencement program for the Class of 2026. News reports identified Diep’s credential as an associate degree in mathematics and said he graduated with valedictorian honors. A Yahoo report citing ABC7 said the college also described him in a social media post as “one of our valedictorians” and said he was earning a transfer degree in mathematics. (yahoo.com) The 4.0 GPA is the number repeated across the coverage. ABC7’s item, as mirrored by other outlets, said Diep completed the degree with a perfect grade-point average. ### What has he said about his plans after graduation? Diep told ABC7 that he wants to attend the University of California, Berkeley, and then medical school. (evc.edu) People reported that he said he eventually wants to become an infectious-disease physician, linking that goal to “my experience in outbreaks in catfish aquaculture from my research presentation.” (actionnewsnow.com) Yahoo’s report said Evergreen Valley College indicated Diep plans to start another degree at EVC next year. That would put his next step at the same campus even as he keeps UC Berkeley and medical school in view. ### Was he still doing ordinary 12-year-old things? ABC7’s report, as republished by other outlets, presented Diep as a student balancing accelerated academics with ordinary hobbies. (yahoo.com) The preliminary coverage said he still enjoyed games including Minecraft and Roblox while pursuing advanced math work. The reports did not frame that as unusual in his own words so much as part of a fuller picture of a child moving through adult academic spaces. His public comments focused more on coursework and future study than on the attention surrounding his age. ### What comes next on the calendar? (local12.com) May 22 was the date Evergreen Valley College set for its 2026 commencement ceremony in San Jose, and the college’s events page listed the program from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bettencourt Soccer Stadium. In the near term, the named next step in public reports is another degree at Evergreen Valley College, followed later by Diep’s stated goal of attending UC Berkeley and then medical school. (evc.edu) (local12.com)